Riley: Barbados not hosting any Super50

Barbados will not be hosting any of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup this year.

This was revealed by the president of the Barbados Cricket Association Conde Riley yesterday at Kensington Oval.

“Originally we were supposed to host the leg which would have ESPN coverage but we had to get clearance from government because the finals are scheduled for December 1 and the Independence day parade was being held at Kensington Oval on November 30.” Said Riley.

Riley mentioned that by the time they got back a response from the government, that they would move the parade, Cricket West Indies had already decided to move Zone B to Trinidad.

“We saw as a board no economic value in hosting Zone A, on top of the already huge debt owed to us by Cricket West Indies of over a million dollars.” Riley revealed.

Riley stated that Barbados had hosted a number of international series which was a cost to them and that they had only received half of that money.

“So when we discussed it at board level, we knew we had a number of programmes we run here at the Centre of Excellence, and we didn’t think we could add another two million dollars or so on top of the already established debt.

“So that was one of the reasons, if we can get payment by the West Indies to ensure we are in a solid financial position – then we will be," he added.

Riley also revealed that the debt owed to the BCA by CWI was as high at $4 million before the bid by the Barbados government to host part of the English tour; subsequently paying some of the money to the BCA which brought
the debt down along with a payment by the CWI.

However Riley said that the BCA had decided to sit out hosting any of the Super50 legs.